The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag apparatus, which includes an airbag that is deployed and inflated in front of the driver's seat or the front passenger seat when supplied with gas.
Conventionally known apparatuses for protecting occupants in vehicle collisions include a driver's seat airbag apparatus, which deploys and inflates an airbag to cover the space above the steering wheel in front of the driver's seat, and a front passenger seat airbag apparatus, which deploys and inflates an airbag projecting from the instrument panel in front of the front passenger seat.
The description of U.S. Pat. No. 9,205,798 discloses an apparatus for protecting occupants in oblique collisions of vehicles. This apparatus includes a base portion and an airbag supported by the base portion. The airbag includes an airbag body and an extension, which is expanded beside the airbag body. The airbag incorporates a tether, which extends from the base portion to the extension. When an oblique collision of the vehicle is detected by a sensor, the tether is released to release the extension to be deployed and inflated. Thus, if the occupant slides along the impact surface of the airbag body at an oblique collision of the vehicle, the head of the occupant is received by the extension.
In the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,205,798, the extension is deployed and inflated solely by the pressure of gas supplied through the interior of the airbag body. Thus, the extension cannot be inflated at an early stage and may not be able to receive the occupant's head.